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ITAtube Journal No2/September 2013
The ITA approaches another
landmark year in 2014
ITA Inside
Regular updates about the confer-
ence will be published both on the
ITA website and in ITAtube Journal.
In the meantime anyone wishing to
record early interest in the event,
as a potential speaker, table top ex-
hibitor, sponsor or delegate should
contact the ITA Secretariat.
CD-ROMs of papers presented at all
three previous conferences in Hou-
ston, Pittsburgh and Nashville can
be purchased from the ITA. The ITA
has an extensive library of technical
papers presented at its conferences
over many years, dating back to be-
fore the advent of CD-ROM versions
and individual papers can also be
purchased. A full list of available
papers as well as CD-ROMs for oth-
er ITA conferences outside the USA
as well as an order form can be ac-
cessed via the ITA website.
It is a happy coincidence that
the 2014 edition of Tube Dussel-
dorf, the world’s largest and most
important trade fair for the tube
and pipe industry will take place
at around the same time of year
as the ITA was founded 35 years
ago in 1979. The growths in im-
portance of both the exhibition
and the ITA have been in parallel
throughout that period leading up
to now when Tube Dusseldorf is
clearly the pre-eminent industry
event and the ITA the largest and
most influential personal member-
ship association of tube and pipe
engineers and other sector profes-
sionals in the world.
In April 1978 the International
Wire & Machinery Association or-
ganised a technical conference
“Tube Production & Processing” in
Birmingham, UK. A year later the
creation of the ITA was instigat-
ed by John Hogg (who was elect-
ed the first executive secretary)
together with several important
tube industry figures who formed
its inaugural executive board. By
the time of the ITA’s first annual
general meeting in 1980 associa-
tion membership had reached 115
persons from 15 countries and the
ITA had already held its first two
independent technical conferences
in November 1979 in the UK and
Belgium in early 1980.
As the ITA developed as a global
association it became clear that
such a vitally important industry as
tube and pipe needed a focal point
for displaying the latest develop-
ments and technology. It was at
this point in 1988 that the idea of
a major industry trade fair became
a reality with the first running of
the biennial Tube Dusseldorf in
tandem with the well-established
wire Dusseldorf exhibition. For
Tube Dusseldorf 1994 the ITA be-
came industry partner to the event,
a position the association is proud
to have held ever since.
Since the first technical conference
in 1979 the ITA has organised and
on occasion co organised 53 tech-
nical conferences and seminars in
its 34 year existence, a remarkable
record by any standard for such an
organisation. These events have
underscored the main ethos of the
not-for-profit ITA to promote tech-
nology exchange, development and
education throughout the world.
Technical events have taken place
in 18 different countries as diverse
and widespread as Mexico, Japan,
India, USA, Turkey, Thailand, Czech
Republic, Ukraine, Belgium, UK,
France, Germany, Singapore, Ita-
ly, Hong Kong, China, Canada and
Spain.
In the last year the ITA has un-
dergone a number of changes and
just like the industry it serves con-
tinues to evolve. This is nothing
new and the association’s history
of its first 30 years is recorded in
“Past, Present and Future”, which
was published in 2009 and can be
downloaded from the ITA website.
There is no doubt that the ITA re-
mains just as relevant to the indus-
try today and will again be a big
presence at Tube Dusseldorf 2014
where members will be able to en-
joy first class facilities on the asso-
ciation’s booth in hall 4 as well as
join board members for a free 35th
anniversary celebratory lunch on
the Wednesday of the exhibition.
Non-member visitors to the ITA
booth will receive a very warm wel-
come and learn at first-hand about
the many benefits of membership
and join on the spot!
PGK Consult
2 The Paddock
Lower Boddington, Nr Daventry
Northants NN11 6YF, UK
Tel.: +44 79 06 86 92 32
russian-market
